Automatic telegraphic transmission instrument.



No. 890,042. PATENTED JUNE 9 1908.

J. GBLL. AUTOMATIC TELBGRAPHIO TRANSMISSION INSTRUMENT.

Arrucnxo n FILED we. 12, 1901.

JOHN GELL, OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

AUTOMATIC TELEGBAPHIC TRANSMISS ON INSTRUMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 9, 1908.

Application filed August 12, 1907. Serial No. 388,233.

apparatus disclosed in Letters Patent of the United States granted to me November 13/06 #835750.

In carrying out my invention I provide a combinatlon of main key-levers and secondary key levers at an angle thereto so that by j the uniform upward'and downward movement of the main key levers reversal motions are imparted to the contact device through the secondary key levers.

My object is to simplify the mechanism and render the action of-the parts quick and certain.

The invention consists in the features and combination and arrangement of arts hereinafter described and particular T pointed out in the accompanying claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of so much of an automatic transmission instrument as is necessary to a clear understanding of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the main key levers of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a view looking from the right of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a detail view of parts shown in Fig. 1 showing the battery and electrical connection. Fig. 5 is a detail view of a modified form of contact device and battery and electrical connections.

In these drawings 1, 1 are the vertically movable pins which cooperate with the perforated tape. These pins are connected pivotally at their lower ends to the main key evers 2, 2 respectively, these main key levers being pivoted to a suitable bracket or su port 3 and each having a tooth as at 4, to be acted upon by a cam device shown generally at 5. This cam device has high and lowarts as shown, and it is in the form of a divi ed cam, one portion operating in connection with the lever 2 and the other portion, which is set at right angles to the first portion 0 crating in connection with the tooth of t e lever 2 The main key levers are pressed normally upward to thereby move upwardly the pins 1, I to pass through the perforations in the tape, said upward pressure upon the main key levers being secured through s rings, one of which is indicated at 6, attac ed to the bracket to which the main levers are pivoted and adjustable as to its pressure by a screw 7 passing through the block or bracket 8 and adapted to be locked in position by a set screw 9. By the rotary movement of the divided cam, the main keylevers 2, 2 are alternately depressed and the upward movement of these key levers, as in the patent above referred to, is controlled by the vertical pins cooperating with the perforated tape. At the rear of the main key levers steel hammer-heads 10, 10 are arranged, said hammerheads having faces or blocks of ivory, vulcanite or other suitable insulating material arranged therein as at 11, 11

The hammer-heads are of hexagonal shape so that they may be turned to screw their shanks further into or out of the main levers 2, 2 for purposes of adjustment, and they may be locked in adjusted position by set screws 12 passing through the split rear ends of the main lever. When the main key levers rise, owing to the absence of tape at the ends of the pins, the hammer-heads will alternately strike a contact device consisting of a key 13 of T form, which key is pivoted to a bracket or block 14, which in turn is secured to the plate 15. The vertical portion of this T shaped key depends between a pair of contact omts consisting of the screws 16, 16 adjusta 1e through the blocks 17 secured to the face of the plate 15. The action of the hammer-heads on the horizontal arms of theT shaped contact key causes the said key to be moved, with its lower end first in one direction and then in the other to alternatelytouch the contact points 16, 16. This movement of the T shaped contact key is rendered 'crisper and a firm contact is secured and maintained by means of a 'ocke roller 18 carried by a spring arm 19 w ich is secured adjustably to a block 20 attached to the plate 15, the adjustment of the said spring arm of the jockey roller bein effected by the adjusting screw 21 passing t hroughthe arm and into the block 20 on each side of the point 22, upon which the jockey. roller. arm is adapted to turn slightly when adjusted by the said screws.

The key action illustrated in Fig. 3 is secured to the ebonite plate 15 which 15 at right angles to the plane of the main key action,

the main key action being fixed to the main front plate of the instrument and the ebonite block and secondary key action being attached to the main plate by an L shaped bracket iece. The front plate is cut through to permit the right hand half of Fig. 3 to be inside of the instrument as indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 3.

A material advantage arises from the use of the arrangement described which gives the hammer action by striking the secondary key action in that the action of the latter is rendered more prompt than with a reciprocating lever controlled by a crank action. I provide a check device at 23 to regulate the extent of the upward movement of the pins 1, 1" and conse uently the extent of travel of the hammer ilevices 10, 10.

As will be seen from Fig. 2 the main levers are of special form having their forward ends close together to be operated upon by the divided cam and their rear ends s read apart so that the hammer actions W1 1 occur at com aratively widely separated points on the orizontal arms of theT shaped contact lever. It will also be observed that a special feature of my invention resides in the combination of the two actions, namely, of the main key levers and the secondary key lever at right angles to each other so that by the uniform upward and downward movement of the main key levers reversal movements of the secondary key lever 13 is effected. In the post office standard pattern of transmitter this reversal movement is secured by cranks and springs and my invention is an im rovement upon this arrangement.

Show in Fig. 4 the electrical connections of the parts thus far described. The battery in this instance is of double form with a central earth connection. When the lower end of the secondary key lever 13 moves towards theright the co per current passes to the line from the rigl it hand side of the divided battery and the zinc current passes to earth through the central connection of the battery. When, however, the T shaped key moves to the'left at its lower end the zinc current passes to line and the copper to earth, and I therefore secure the reversal current.

I show in Fig. 5 a modification of the secondary orT shaped key lever adapted with a sin le batter to give the same reversals as in ig. 4. T e key in this instance is of compound form being provided with an extra .contact piece 24 secured to the main portion 13 but insulated therefrom by a strip of ebonite 25. In this form I employ double contacts and a single battery to secure the re' versal, these double contacts being indicated at 26, 26 and 27, 27 and consisting of screws adjustable through the up-turned ears or lugs on blocks or plates 28. With this arrangement when the lower end of the T shape key-moves towards the right the copper current goes to line through the contact 27 and the zinc current goes to earth through the contact 26, and the auxiliary portion 24 of the secondary key, this auxiliary portion closin upon the contact 26 simultaneously with t e closing of the main portion of the key with the contact 27 When the secondaryT shaped key moves towards the left at its lower end the zinc current goes to line through the contact 26 and the copper current goes to earth through the contact 27 and the auxiliary portion 24 of the secondary key lever.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination in apparatus of the class described a main key-action comprising the keylevers pivoted intermediate of their length and arranged side by side, the ins at the ends of each of said levers operate thereby and cooperating with the perforated tape and a secondary key-action arranged at an angle to the first key-action and adjacent to rear ends of said levers whereby the uniform pivotal movement of the key levers of the main key-action will effect the reversal movements of the secondary key-action and contacts controlled by the secondary keyaction, substantially as described.

2. In combination in apparatus of the class described, a main key-action comprising a pair of key-levers arranged side by side, pins at the front ends of said levers cooperating with the erforated tape and operated by said main 'ey-levers, and a single secondary key-lever arranged substantially at right angles to the main key-levers adjacent their rear ends and operated thereby so that the uniform movement of the main key-levers in their vertical planes will efiect reversal movement of the single secondar ke -lever and suitable contacts controlled by tfie said secondary key-lever, substantially as described.

3. In combination in apparatus of the class described, a pair of main key-levers, a substantially T shaped secondary key-lever arranged with its head portion extending across the ends of the main lever at substantially a right angle thereto and operated thereby, pins actuated by the main keyilevers ant cooperating with the perforated tape, and electrical contacts which are closed by the movement of the stem ortion of the T sha ed secondary lever, substantially as descri ed.

4. In combination in a paratus of the class described, a pair of main key-levers arranged side by side, means for operating the same, pins at the front end of said levers actuating on the tape and operated by said main keylevers, a secondary key-lever of T shape arranged substantially at a right angle to the main key-levers, electrical contacts to be closed b the stem of said T-shaped secondl ary keyever, and a jockey roller and springarm carrying the same for controlling the movement of the secondary key-lever, substantially as described.

5. In combination in apparatus of the class described, a pair of main key-levers, means for operating the same consisting of the cam for o erating the levers one way and having an a rulpt shoulder and spring means for giving t e lever movement in the o posite irection, pins operated by the sai main key-levers, a secondary key-action, and electrical contacts controlled thereby, the keylevers of the main key-action having astriking or hammer action upon the secondary key-action, substantially as described.

6. Incombination in a paratus of the class described, the main keyevers with the pins operated thereby to co-act with the tape, means for o erating the key-levers, a T shaped secondary key-lever arranged substantially at right angles to the main key-levers and contacts controlled by the secondary keylever, the main key-levers having a striking or hammer-action u on the end portions of the horizontal arm 0? the T shaped secondary key-lever, substantially as described.

7. In combination in the described apparatus, the main key-levers with operating.

means therefor to give a hammer efiect to said levers, a secondary key-action and hammer portions carried by the main key-levers for striking the secondary key-action, to give a nick action thereto, and contacts contrdlled by the secondary key-action; substantially as described.

8. In combination in the described apparatus, a pair of main key-levers, cams for operating the same downwardly and having a rupt shoulders, pins to coact with the tape operated thereby, means for operating said main key-levers, springs for pressing them upwardly and means for adjusting the tension of said springs, substantially as described. Q

9. In combination with the main keylevers, a secondary key-action, means for operating the main key-levers and an adjustable prising the pieces of insulating material and the heads adj ustably connected with the main key-levers and carrying said insulating hammer pieces, substantially as described.

11. In combination in the described apparatus, a pairof main key-levers, pins to coact with the perforated tape operated by said levers, cam means for operating the said levers one way, springs for giving a quick action: to the levers the other way, said levers having their front portions in proximity to be operated by the said cam and their rear portions spread apart, a secondary key-action operated by the rear portions of the main key-levers and electrical contacts controlled by the secondary key-action, substantially as described. l

12; In combination in the described apparatus, a main key-action, a secondary keyaction comprising a substantially T shaped lever having its vertical and horizontal por- 1 tions insulated from each other, a pair of contacts for each portion of the lever and circuit connections, substantially as described.

13. In combination, the key-levers of the main key-action, a secondary key-action, contacts controlled by the secondary keyaction, said main levers having a hammer or striking effect upon the secondary key-action, means for operating the main levers and an adjustable check device to limit the hammering stroke of the 'main levers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

JOHN GELL.

Witnesses:

ALFRED NUTTING, PERcY PHILLIPPs. 

